29 Yrs Old NW3 considering HT

[bazingga15]

Hi Guys,

 

Newbie here in this forum but I have been reading posts here for over a year now. To give a little background, I'm 29 years old, been slowly receding since age 20. My hairline has always been high and as you can see in the pictures, even my corners and temple points are high. My hair has always been naturally thin. So far, the hair loss noticeable to me is the hairline and temples.

 

I am considering a 2-3 year plan for a possible ht. I would appreciate if you guys could share your thoughts. If ever I choose to go through it, I just want a very conservative approach. Perhaps a hairline that is patterned to a mature forelock design?

 

Anyone else had this NW scale at age 29-30 that started very slow at age 20? How did your hair loss progress?

 

Some facts that also support this plan are:

1.) My dad who is 64 years old today has a full head of hair with a strong hairline. He has lost some, but in a manner of just thinning a little bit. When dry, his hair still looks a lot better than mine.

2.) No other family member including uncles have MPB

3.) For the past 3 years, no significant difference that is easily visible on my hair loss.

 

 

Would appreciate to hear from you. Thanks guys.

[tacolinowest]

i dont think your a nw 3 , more like 2, but i think your hair looks great as is

[1978matt]

Your hair is somewhat reminicent of mine back in about 2005-2007. I'm afraid it will probably get worse more than likely.

 

Get on finasteride and minoxidil for at least a year. You could be a great responder and find that you don't feel the need for a transplant.

 

After a year then some conservative hairline work would seem reasonable.

[bazingga15]

Thanks for the quick responses. At the beginning of my research I have considered these medications but decided to take a year to observe my hair loss progression. So far, I dont think there would be a significant difference if I had a ht 3 years ago. I have been hiding my temples with a sort of buzz-cut hair style since I was a teenager.

 

I also have consulted 2 surgeons and both said im a good candidate and recommended 1200-1500 grafts. I realize the further risk of further loss. Also, my friends and family are accustomed to my very high hairline since I was in high school. Its just that I have been able to hide the thinning and recession. over the years.

 

I consider myself one of the unlucky ones if ever I progress to a NW 5 since my sides and corners are not all good to frame my face. So i guess this is what im going for, a forelock design to strengthen my hairline with minor touch up on the corners.

[rbrook]

Don't think about a hair transplant at such a early age. Believe me i am 45, and have many friends who have done so. Please use ayurveda medicine it works. I have used pelavita, which is in the U.S. and is a creation from india and is for hair growth. I want to help any one who has suffered as me. I started loosing my hair when I was little under the age of 18. Look into it, read about ayurveda and how it corrects the body naturally, and effectively.

[Alex1]

Yeh I would also say that a hair transplant at such a young age may not be necessary, you can go have a consultation, some places offer them for free and they can recommend what will be needed, whether there are some natural procedures you can do to help maintain your hair, and at what age surgery may be beneficial!

[Bill - Seemiller]

Alex,

 

You've signed up as a clinic representative however, I don't see the doctor you represent listed on your profile. Did you sign up incorrectly or do you indeed represent a clinic?

 

Thanks,

 

Bill

[Alex1]

Sorry, I must have signed up incorrectly! My computer is very slow and often my activity on the computer goes out of sink with what i'm doing, so I must have clicked the wrong item!

[bazingga15]

Hi guys,

 

Just a followup question, isnt there any good chance that my hair won't progress to a NW4 or 5? My dad is in his mid-60's and his only hairloss is overall thinning which is not even noticeable when his hair is dry. I also have an uncle (51 yrs old) who has hair quite similar to mine only better.

 

I am not in a hurry to get a HT although I'll be 30 next year. If ever, if my situation would demand an additional HT down the road after getting one next yr, that would still be ok with me.

 

What do you guys think?

[KO]

I don't think your hair loss is bad enough to merit an HT. Just IMO. It really looks fine, I think HT should be for more significant loss.

[Spanker]

Don't think about a hair transplant at such a early age. Believe me i am 45, and have many friends who have done so. Please use ayurveda medicine it works. I have used pelavita, which is in the U.S. and is a creation from india and is for hair growth. I want to help any one who has suffered as me. I started loosing my hair when I was little under the age of 18. Look into it, read about ayurveda and how it corrects the body naturally, and effectively.

 

Please ignore this post

[Spanker]

I disagree with most of the advice given. I think if you have been on the board for a year that you have a good idea of who you want to do your surgery. Go to one or more of the doctors you are considering and get a consult, have the doctor advise you on your situation. Your donor, your loss, etc. 30 isn't too young in my opinion.

 

Are you on finasteride?

 

You are headed to a 3A for sure and maybe higher. If your crown is solid you are doing pretty good though. If you plan on reinforcing the hairline that you have now and don't plan on getting aggressive, and you have good donor, and you get on meds then you will make an good candidate.

 

I just think there are very few incidents that people, especially younger people, should have ht's and not be on medicine to reduce their dht. That is just me.

[greatjob]

I disagree with most of the advice given. I think if you have been on the board for a year that you have a good idea of who you want to do your surgery. Go to one or more of the doctors you are considering and get a consult, have the doctor advise you on your situation. Your donor, your loss, etc. 30 isn't too young in my opinion.

 

Are you on finasteride?

 

You are headed to a 3A for sure and maybe higher. If your crown is solid you are doing pretty good though. If you plan on reinforcing the hairline that you have now and don't plan on getting aggressive, and you have good donor, and you get on meds then you will make an good candidate.

 

I just think there are very few incidents that people, especially younger people, should have ht's and not be on medicine to reduce their dht. That is just me.

 

^ this. I don't consider a NW2-3 who is 30 years old too young for a transplant as long as they know what the are getting into. And as spanker said, I personally think every HT patient should be on finasteride, especially people with a lot of native hair. I know a lot of people hate fin and think it is the devil, but if you are unwilling or unable to take it, IMO you are not a candidate for a hair transplant.

[bazingga15]

I am not yet on finasteride. I was actually thinking of taking it AFTER HT to keep the native hair. From what I understand that hair preserved by finasteride will fall off anytime I stop taking it, if I start taking it now, and have HT a year after, would't the results of the fin cover the extend of my hair loss?

 

My crown is still intact. I haven't noticed any thinning, its just the hairline that has been receeding for more than 10 years now.

[Patriot34]

A reputable clinic would recommend at least one year of Fin before moving on. However, you'll find that this is uncommon in the industry and many places will gladly give a HT before attempting to treat hair loss with a long term perspective.

 

If you are unable to use Fin because you suffer from the side effects or simply can't afford it then a HT is not something I would recommend. Otherwise you are just placing hairs that won't fall out in an area where the other hairs will fall out, leave you to only turn back in hopes to fill the thin area with a limited amount of donor hair to spread.

 

I received my HT at a young age as well and I deeply wish this was something that was told to me in an honest and open discussion. Instead I was told that I would have a scar the width of the edge of paper and the clinic didn't even say anything about medical treatments till I asked for it. They were more concerned with getting a down payment and a schedule date for the procedure.

 

My advice = Go to your doctor and ask about fin now and see how you react to it. No point in doing a hairline touch up at this point because you don't know where the rest of your hair is going to end up yet at your age.